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Somewhere down the line, virtually everyone in the U.S. has heard the phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle.”

 

 

Many students see a poster with this phrase early on in their elementary school years. Homeowners receive lists and flyers that state their neighborhood’s recyclables.

 

 

But exactly what do the “three R’s” mean? We’ve dedicated this tab to answering this exact question. Click on any of the three R's to learn more.

Reduce

Re·duce

/rəˈd(y)o͞os/

verb

  • make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size.

Avoid buying single use, or non-recyclable items and switch to sustainable products.

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Instead of:                                                                                            Try:

Plastic, single use water bottles                                                      Reusable, metal water bottles

Plastic grocery bags                                                                           Reusable tote bags

Plastic straws                                                                                        Metal, glass, or silicone straws

Makeup wipes                                                                                      Reusable cotton pads

Ziploc baggies                                                                                      Tupperware

Single packaged snacks                                                                    Buying in bulk for less packaging

How Do The Members Of C3 Reduce?

Rec Reduce
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Natalia Betancur

"I use a reusable shopping bag while grocery shopping."

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Ava Haddock

"I use a reusable metal water bottle instead of single-use plastic bottles."

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Brandon Sanchez

"I opt for digital alternatives whenever possible, like digital receipts, forms, and documents."

Reuse

re·use

verb

/rēˈyo͞oz/

  • use again or more than once.

Want to turn your scraps into art? Try these crafts and get creative with reusing and repurposing household items. 

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Glass Jars

  1. organize spices 

  2. Food storage

  3. Container for small objects 

  4. Vases

CD's & DVD's

  1. coasters 

  2. ornaments/decorations

Egg

Cartons

  1. paint palette

  2. Seedlings 

  3. Organize small objects

Styrofoam

  1. Make stencils for drawing or painting 

  2. Cut up to use as a packing material

Clothing

  1. Upcycle old clothing 

  2. Buy worn clothing 

  3. Use old clothes as cleaning rags

Plastic Bottles

  1. Supply cups 

  2. Snack Containers

  3. Gardening tools ​

  4. Trash Can 

  5. Broom 

  6. Basket 

  7. Snack bowl 

  8. Lamp/Light 

Rec Reuse

How Do The Members of C3 Reuse?

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Isaac Hernandez

"I reuse cardboard boxes that come with products I buy."

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Valeria Echague

"I reuse cardboard and paper to make my own journals."

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Kendal Furman

"I reuse plastic and glass bottles for propagating plants or for arts & crafts projects."

Recycle

re·use

verb

/rēˈyo͞oz/

  • use again or more than once.

Where is my city’s Waste Management location? 

https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/2019/10/22/mapping-out-mrf-infrastructure-nationwide/ 

 

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What materials can actually be recycled?

 

Do Recycle:                                                                                                   Don't Recycle​

Plastic: rigid bottles or containers                                                     Loose plastic: bags, saran wrap

Paper: newspaper, printer paper, mail,                                             Polystyrene Foam: egg cartons, cups, 

    magazines, snack boxes such                                                           take-out containers

    as cereal                                                                                             Any soiled materials or broken glass

Metals: tin, aluminum and steel cans

 

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How do you recycle contaminants?

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E-Waste:

Computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, and fax machines are common electronic products that can be repurposed. If you find you need to dispose of them, please drop them off at your local waste management office.

 

Cigarettes:

Smother cigarettes in an ashtray and soak in water before throwing them away (in a trash can-not the ground!). Or participate in this  cigarette recycling program.

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Styrofoam:

Tear off any recyclable pieces from the Styrofoam, and if your recycling system does not include EPS, go to Earth911.com, type in "polystyrene" and your zip code, and it will tell you where your closest drop-off site is. 

 

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Recycling Statistics/Facts (all specific to the U.S) 

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  • Approximately 290 million tons of garbage is generated in the U.S. each year (4.9 pounds a day for each person)

  • 11 millions tons of glass bottles and jars are thrown away each year

  • 2.5 million plastic bottles are thrown away each hour

  • One ton of paper that is recycled saves 17 trees, 67 tons of paper are used each year

  • Recycling glass helps save 25%-30% of the energy used to make glass 

  • Recycled materials reduces water and air pollution as well as energy use by 95%

Rec Recycle

How Do The Members of C3 Recycle?

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Rachiel Torres

"I recycle all of my old school work at the end of the year."

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Nathan Lu

"I take recyclables from the cleanups and put them in a city recycling bin."

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Kenneth Pilco

"I recycle my old lithium batteries through Call2Recycle."

Composting

Another means of reusing your waste is to compost. Composting is the process of decomposing organic materials, such as food waste, which can create a great fertilizer for plants and trees.

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Do compost:                                                                                       Don’t compost:

Tea leaves                                                                                                Meat, egg, fish bones or scraps*

Produce peels and left overs                                                             Dairy products*

Uneaten food                                                                                         Coal or charcoal

Shredded (news)paper                                                                       Disease ridden plants

Leaves                                                                                                      Pet waste*

Eggshells                                                           

Corncob

Hair and pet fur                                                                                    *Can attract pests and create odor

Zoe Goldstein, a member of C3's social media team and a regular at the cleanups, explains her personal scrap composting process at home. 

 

Whether to strengthen the growth of your plants, or simply help lessen your carbon footprint, composting is evidently extremely beneficial for anyone and everyone.

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